U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet told Colorado school food experts that he’s making federal officials aware of computer glitches that have plagued the state’s food stamp applications.

Bennet, touting a $4.5 billion school foods bill while visiting Coronado Hills Elementary in Thornton, heard from a roundtable of private and public officials trying to end childhood hunger and promote school nutrition in Colorado. Kathy White of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy mentioned frustration from clients trying to get assistance through the state’s $166 million computer system that was meant to be an upgrade.

Bennet told the gathering that he added an amendment to the bill, passed by the Senate agriculture committee and awaiting further action, that directs the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide more computer and technical help to states suffering delays.

UPDATED BY EDITOR AT 4:30 p.m.: County officials have been struggling to deliver food stamps on time — particularly since the recession forced a lot of people to the rolls in 2009. Though the food stamp program is administered locally, the state Department of Human Service could face a sanction from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for delays.

Counties are only allowed 30 days to get people food stamps and many metro area county wait times are beyond that.

A Republican primary candidate with unlimited financial resources has started attacking Cary’s investment strategy with a statewide television ad buy.

Cary Kennedy has maintained positive earnings in the face of a challenging economic climate — a climate that has seen many other states lose money. Having served as Colorado’s state treasurer, I can tell you that these attacks are very misleading. If this is the kind of campaign that Cary is going to face in November, she’s going to need your help to set the record straight on the airwaves.

As the Andrew Romanoff-Michael Bennet contest speeds toward another major battle Saturday morning, not all state Democratic Party officials are willing to hunker down in neutral territory.

State vice chair Dan Slater sent out an e-mail this week heartily endorsing former state House Speaker Romanoff for the U.S. Senate nomination. Slater, a Cañon City attorney, appeared to be defying the wishes of state chair Pat Waak, who has made it clear in many forums that she wants party office holders to avoid making the race personal before the August primary.

They’re on opposite sides of the medical marijuana issue. Corry is the state’s leading attorney on medical marijuana, and supports legalization. Suthers in February told lawmakers he was on record as “vehemently opposing any legislation that embraces the clinic or dispensary model for distribution of medical marijuana,” and has talked about its societal costs.

The debate will be from noon to 1 p.m. at the Sturm College of Law at the University of Denver, in the Ricketson Law Building, Room 190. It is sponsored by the Colorado ACLU and the Federalist Society.

The sponsor of a controversial, late-session plan to overhaul voter registration rules says he may not move forward with legislation after all.

House Speaker Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, said he’s not decided whether to introduce a lengthy and sweeping bill – now in draft form – that would allow same-day voter registration and third party groups to deliver completed ballots and require mail-in ballots unless communities opt for polling places.

The Pueblo Chieftain has a story today about a proposal from a fledgling private company that wants to take on government duties of regulating medical marijuana growers and dispensaries.

First American Repository of Medical Marijuana went before the Pueblo City Council to propose being “the licensing, education and quality control agency for the marijuana growers and dispensaries in the city,” according to the story.

FARMM proposed being the eyes and ears for the city and law enforcement. As you might imagine, council members, who have imposed a moratorium on dispensaries until June 1, were skeptical of the proposal.

It is interesting to see the kinds of business ventures spinning off the marijuana industry. Makes you wonder what’s next. Commodity futures market?

Lori Weigel has a reputation as one of the most quotable pollsters around and the Denver resident lived up to her billing when discussing the 2010 election.

“All the dynamics that helped Democrats in 2006 and 2008, it’s flipped. Completely. It’s night and day, black and white, it’s every opposite you can think of,” she told The Spot. “”It’s like a Dr. Seuss book and everything is turned upside down.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.